Leading Provider of Supplemental Insurance Offers Cancer Policies to Help Offset Some of the Costs Associated With Lung Cancer Treatment - 11/18/2008

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Combined Insurance, a leading provider of supplemental insurance, encourages consumers to consider the financial impact that lung cancer could have on themselves and their family. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States among every ethnic group.

That makes Lung Cancer Awareness Month an opportune time to increase attention to lung cancer issues. The vast majority of lung cancer cases fall into one of two categories: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, which is the most common type, and Small Cell Lung Cancer. Surprisingly, more than 60 percent of new cases are people who have never smoked or are former smokers, many of whom quit decades before. One in five women and one in twelve men diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that since 1987, more women have died each year of lung cancer than of breast cancer, which had been the major cause of cancer death in women for more than 40 years. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 100,000 women will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and more than 71,000 women will die from this disease in the United States.

Lung Cancer Costs Will Continue to Rise

"The American Cancer Society reports that approximately 67 percent of total cancer-related costs are non-medical and that lung cancer is among the most expensive cancers to treat. That's why having a supplemental insurance plan in place can help ease the financial burdens of cancer and help with some of the additional expenses not covered by primary health insurance," said Becky Mills, vice president, Research and Development and Product Marketing. "Additional expenses can be overlooked, but are often costly and can compromise individual or family assets."

Cancer Insurance Coverage When It Counts

Investing in a supplemental insurance policy can help fill some of the cancer care coverage gaps that may exist in a primary health insurance policy. Benefits offered can include: daily benefits for hospital stays, intensive care, anesthesia and surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, preventative care, first diagnosis, physician's and private nurse hospital visits, prescription drugs, blood and blood plasma and ground and air transportation.

Many cancer insurance policies offer these added benefits:

Coverage that begins immediately upon issuance, with no waiting period

A choice of coverage for individual or family protection

Flexible premiums, with the choice of paid-up or return of premium riders

Benefits paid directly to the insured or the insured's designee, regardless of any other private insurance

Consistent benefits that remain the same regardless of age or the number of claims paid

"With a supplemental cancer insurance policy, consumers can help ease the stress of financial worry by arming themselves with added protection against the mounting bills that often pile up during the course of treatment," notes Mills.

Mills adds, "Selecting the right partner to provide such cancer insurance protection is also important. We recommend finding a provider or agent who will meet with you face-to-face to review your current coverage and help you select the right supplemental insurance to meet your individual or your family's specific needs to ensure you'll be covered when it matters most."

About Combined Insurance

Combined Insurance (http://www.combinedinsurance.com.) is a leading provider of supplemental accident, health and life insurance products and is a member of the ACE Group of Companies. With a field sales force and corporate staff in excess of 10,000 people worldwide, Combined Insurance meets the growing coverage needs of policyholders around the globe. For more information, call 1-800-490-1322 or visit combinedinsurance.com.

About ACE

ACE Group is one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty insurers. With operations in 54 countries, ACE provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of ACE Group, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information can be found at acegroup.com.

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Combined Insurance Company of America (Chicago, Ill.) is a leading provider of individual supplemental accident & health, disability, and life insurance products and a Chubb company. With a tradition of nearly 100 years of success, Combined Insurance is committed to making the world of supplemental insurance easy to understand. The company has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and is one of Ward’s Top 50® Performing Life-Health Insurance Companies. Combined Insurance is ranked the number one Military Friendly® Employer in the over $1B revenue category for 2019 by VIQTORY. This is the company’s eighth consecutive year on the top 10 list and fifth consecutive year in the top 5—Combined Insurance was previously named the number one Military Friendly® Employer in the nation for 2015 and 2016. In New York, products are underwritten by Combined Life Insurance Company of New York (Latham, NY).